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Device for Removing Fir Damp from Mines. No. 242,729. 7 Patented June 7,1881.

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- F. WODIGZKA. Device for Removing Fire Damp from Mines."

No. 242,729. Patented June 7, 1881.

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" 'B. WODIOZK A.

Device for RemovingFire Damp from Mines,v 'No. 242,729; Patented Jung 7,188l.

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* UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

FRANCIS ,WODIOZKA, or. GRATZ, AUSTRIA.-

DEVlCE FOR REMOVING FIRE-DAMP FROM MINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. "242,729, dated June 7, 1881.

Application filed February7,1881. (-No model.)

To all whom it may concern 0 r Be it known. that I, FRANCIS WomczKA, a, citizen of the Empire of Austria, residing at, Gratz, Styria, authorized mining engineer, haveinvented a new and useful Improvementin Devices for Removing Fire-Damp from Mines, in order to prevent the explosion of same, which is fully set forth and described in the following specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is .a plan view of a partiof a mine provided with my improved device for removing the firedamp. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional. elevation through the main gas-channel on .the line w m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the adit on the line y y, Fig. 1, showing one arrangement of the side channels. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation on the line 22, Fig. 1, showing another arrangement of the side channels. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation of the main channel on the line 00 w, Fig.1. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation of the suction-funnel on the line 11] y, Fig. 9. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the perforated plate in the same. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional elevation of the neck of the funnel on the line 2 2, Fig. 9, showing the valve in the same. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the under side of the plate to which the funnel-tube: is fastened.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention consists in arranging a pipe or channel, provided with a series of suctio'n funnels, along the ridge of all the galleries and adits of a mine, which channel is connected with a side channel, which, in turn, leads into the main or receiving channel, which is in communication with the gas flue or chimney.

The invention further consists in a suctionfunnel provided with a pivoted or hinged perforated cover, and a perforated plate between the cover and the bottom of the funnel.

The shaft A of themine is divided intothree compartments, of which a serves to carry off the fire-damp, b the other heavier gases, and in the compartment 0 the elevator is arranged.

Q The firedamp line, or, as I call it, the gas chimney or fine a, is hermetically connected at its lower end with the main gas-channel or receiving-channel B, which extends along the ceiling of the end gallery or passage 0, which of coal.

* connects the elevator-shaft A with the airshaft of the mine. The main gas-channel B is closed at its upperand lower ends.

A side channel,D, passes along the highest point or ridge of every adit E, and is in communicationwith the main channel B, which communication may be established or interrupted at will by means of the valves F F, arranged in these side channels, D, near the main channel B. These side channels, D, may be made of metal, wood,.clay pipe, or any other suitable material, and may have any desired direction. They may also be cut out of the rock and coal Gr, as shown in Fig. 4, that side of thechannel that is toward theadit being formed by a board, H, placed on its edge and held in place by wedges or blocks. The crosssection of these channels varies according to circumstances; but the sum of the cross-sections of all the side channels should not exceed the cross-section of the main gas-channel.

A series of branch channels, J J, branch off from the side channels and extend into the excavations made in the solid rock or the layer These branch channels are made of wood or metal, and their cross-section varies according to circumstances.

A series of suction-funnels, KK, are attached to the branch channels J J ,the side channels, D, and the main channels B.

A ventilator is provided for the pnrposeof drawing the air out of the gas-flue, and thus causing the fire-damp and gases to rise in the same.

' The suction-funnel K consists of a metal funnel, L, attached to a short tube, M, provided with a flange-plate, N, at about its middle. The funnel L is provided with a pivoted lid or cover, 0, having very fine perforations]? P, and a plate, Q, having larger perforations B, rests in the funnel L, in about the middle of the height of the same. The tube M is provided with a damper-valve,'S, by means of which the communication between the funnel and the gas-channel, which takes place through the tube M, is cut off. The main channel B, the side channels, D, and the branch channels J are all provided with a series of perforations of the same diameter as the tube M, and these tubes are passed into these pipes until the flan ge-plate N rests against the channel. More or less suction-funnels are arranged in a gallery or adit, according to the quantity of firedamp in the same. Clamps in these channels catch on the plates N, and thus hold the funnel to the channel. The suction-funnels are about six inches in diameter.

In order to regulate the quantity of gas admitted through the funnel, that part of the same between the plate Q and the lid or cover 0' may be filled with cotton, Wool, or some other suitable fibrous material. The branch channels must extend into all those parts of the mine where fire-damp is apt to accumulate, and sufficient suction-funnels must be provided to carry off this gas immediately. I only intend to remove the very light gases by means of the gas-channels, the heavier gases, such as atmospheric air and mixtures of the same, being removed by ordinary ventilation.

The operation is as follows: As stated, a blower or other ventilator draws theair out of the gas-flue a, and the gases will follow. The

fire-damp and like gases float on the top of the other gases, about in the same manner as oil floats on water, and as the branch channels J,

' the side channels, D, and the main channel are all arranged on the top of their respective galleries or adits, the gas will pass into the suction-funnels,from these to the branch channels J, the side ehaunels,D, and the main channel B, and will finally pass out through the gasfiue a. Any side channel can be cut off from the main channel B by closing the valves F, and any suction-funnel can be cut off by closing its damper-valve S. The fire-damp is drawn in as rapidly as it collects, and as the apertures in the lid 0 are very fine, the lightest gases only, such as fire-damp, will pass into the suction-funnel, the heavier gases being removed by means of ordinary ventilation.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the gas-flue a, of the main gas-channel B, the side channels, D, and the branch channels J J, and the suctionfunnels K, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device for removing fire-damp from mines, the suction-funnel K, constructed substantially as herein shown and described, with a perforated lid or cover, 0, as set forth.

3. In a device for removing fire-damp from mines, the combination, with the funnel L, of the perforated lid or cover 0 and the perforated plate Q,'substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

. FRANCIS WODIG ZKA.

Witnesses:

Dr. ED. SCHMIDT, J r., JOHN LUX, O. E. 

